Desperation
by Crazed Maniac 02
Summary: -Chapters deleted of pointless script content! Yay!- Rouge decides to visit Angel Island to keep a friend company. Will she find love along the way, or will someone else try to sabotage it? -Complete-
1. Default Chapter

Yea, the only reason I'm messing with this thing is so this fic won't get deleted for stupid reasons, like having script in the pre and post chap's. I'm not gonna lose any more priceless fics like that. mourns over the loss of Closer Anywayz, I just wanna give a big shoutie to all my friends and reviewers! I couldn't do this without you!

Desperation

By CM02

Chapter 1

Rouge the Bat landed the helicopter gently on Angel Island. The one thing she hated most was flying loud machinery, but flying naturally from Station Square would tire her out. Today, she wasn't after the Master Emerald. She had given it up weeks ago and was out for bigger and better jewels. Today, she was going to give the guardian a visit. They had put their differences aside and became good friends since he saved her life a couple months ago. In between secret missions, she would come to see him.

She spotted him in the forest, still unaware of her arrival. She slipped behind a group of trees, creeping closer and closer to him.

Knuckles could've sworn he heard something, but before he could find out, someone tackled him from behind and pinned him to the ground. He opened his eyes and saw his good friend on top of him.

"Hey, you." she greeted.

"Damn, I didn't know you were that desperate, Rouge!"

"Shut up, knucklehead!" she shouted, pressing him harder into the ground. He smiled and poked her in the side, causing her to let go and roll over laughing. He then pinned her shoulders to the ground. She still giggled.

"Now who's the desperate one, bat girl?" he asked with a sexy gleam in his eyes.

Rouge just smiled at the sound of his voice. She loved the deepness and clarity of it. He had changed from a stubborn guardian to a carefree soul living on the island, which caused her to visit a lot more. She growled and replied, "If you want some, just tell me."

He relaxed his grip on her arms and pressed his body gently against hers. He rested his cheek on her chest, leaning closely to her ear, with his lips barely touching the white fur.

Rouge felt herself grow hot. The heat from his sudden move caused her heart to beat faster and her breath to quicken. She also started to feel lightheaded as his soft breath caressed her neck. His long dreadlocks fell to her sides moving back and forth as the wind played with them.

He felt her tremble slightly under him. He knew what he had to do. He nipped at her large ear, and then shifted his body slightly, making them both feel more comfortable of each other's company. He wrapped his arms around her neck and pulled her even closer. Then he finally spoke in the softest whisper: "I want some."

Rouge was speechless. She had never expected this, at least not this soon. It felt good and it blew her mind. She took in a sharp breath when he shifted again. Her eyes started to flutter.

".Food, Rouge."

Her eyes widened then relaxed at his joke. She pushed him off her and stood up. She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Knux rolling on the ground, laughing. "Well, aren't you quite the charmer?" she asked sarcastically.

"Just name the time and place, babe," he replied at sat up, stifling a chuckle.

"You really got me there..I almost fell for you."

"Just because I'm alone on this island, doesn't mean I have no game."

"You wouldn't have done that two months ago."

"Sure as hell I wouldn't! You sure changed me."

"It was for the better."

"I know, and I thank you for that." he stood up and kissed her on the cheek.

She pretended to faint and he caught her in his arms. She opened her eyes and kissed him back. "Glad to help. I'll go get the food and we can eat by the waterfall."

"Great! I'm starving!" He put her back on her feet and headed toward the waterfall as she went in the opposite direction.

After a few minutes, he saw Rouge coming with a big picnic basket and a blanket. She set the basket down and spread out the blanket. He peeked into the basket and saw the most amazing sight of his life. Varieties and sandwiches were stacked on top of each other, fresh picked fruit glittered with sweetness, and a tall pitcher of lemonade sat before his eyes.

They split the sandwiches and ate while getting lost in the depths of the waterfall. She reached for a bunch of grapes and started popping them into her mouth. A few seconds later, she felt a warm sensation on her leg. She looked down to see Knux's head resting on it, eyes staring at the grapes with insanity. She sighed and held the bunch to his mouth while he bit them one by one. She smiled at this sight.

The day went by pretty fast. She eventually put the basket away and came back finding Knux lying on the blanket. She laid beside him and they talked for hours. She told him about her missions and he told her about his past.

Night crept on them while they were still awake. They had stopped talking for a while, enjoying the other's presence. Rouge was the first to break the silence.

"Hey, knucklehead."

"What?"

"Were there any other jewels your tribe protected besides the Master Emerald and the Chaos Emeralds?"

"I've heard a few myths about previous gems, but they don't exist anymore."

"Tell me about one of them."

He took a breath and started telling her the story. "Along time ago, there was a precious gem called the Angel Emerald. It kept the island higher in the sky and peace throughout it. One day, a foreigner stole it and the impact smashed it into pieces and disappeared. A few moments later, the Master and Chaos Emeralds were created by it."  
"Is that really true?" she asked curiously.

"Honestly, I don't know. I've heard other stories, but they didn't stick as much as this one did."

"I believe it."

"If you believe, then I believe."

She beamed at him. "What would I do without you?"

"You'd probably end up stealing the Emerald."

"True, but I wouldn't have a great friend like you."

"Aw, you're getting mushy on me."

"I'm serious! I've been on my own my whole life until I met you."

"You're serious?"

"Hunter's honor.When you're on top secret missions all the time, you really can't have a social life."

"Does that include being single, also?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't bother me. A lot of guys aren't worth the chase. Besides, I love the freedom. 'Fly in the freedom,' that's what I say."

"What about me?"

"Maybe I'd consider it." She laid her head across his chest, growing sleepy at the slow rising and falling of it.

He smiled at the thought of them as an item. It plagued his mind, but it felt good at the same time. He was about to say something when he realized Rouge was fast asleep. He put an arm around her torso and put one leg around hers. He slowly fell asleep in her warmth.

Night still remained when she awoke to crickets chirping. She saw the comfort of her friend around her and she fell back to sleep, thinking peaceful thoughts of him.

That was so cute; I forgot that they aren't a couple! If you don't believe me, read the later chapters! Since you can't, you'll just hafta take my word for it! Review, my peeps! You'll get a dark blue Chaos Emerald, the key to Rouge's reputation! You'll be able to send me emails at the speed of light! Wheeeee!! Give me guests, y'all! No matter who it is, I'll try to put them in. I have a feeling I'll be getting plenty of requests this time.now review, I COMMAND YOU!! .. PLEEZ?? I would appreciate it! I gave you a bribe, what more do you want? Review pleeeeez! It'll do wonders on my mood!

Crazed Maniac 02


	2. Surprise visit and more surprises! Again...

Chapter 2: Surprise Visit

It was early morning when a loud noise pierced Rouge's ear. "WHAAA!" she screamed. Knux was jerked awake.

"Eh?" he groaned.

"I hear a plane coming toward us," she said with warning.

His eyes were wide open by now. She unraveled herself from him and rushed to the helicopter when she saw the plane overhead. Knux was already in fighting stance. Rouge did the same.

The plane flew even closer. They could make it out as the Tornado 3, with Sonic, Tails, and Amy inside. They both relaxed as it landed near Knux. Sonic and Tails jumped out, with Amy close behind.

"Heeey, Knux! Long time, no see!" Sonic greeted while Rouge walked over to the company. Tails was the first to notice her.

"Rouge, I've been looking all over for you! You need to give me a comm. connection!" he complained.

"Um, sorry.I'll get to that." she apologized.

Sonic looked over to Rouge and back to Knux and gave a perverted look. "Tails, I think I know why you can't contact her. Knux and Rouge got a looooove connection!" he teased. Knux and Rouge looked at each other and nodded. Knux did a Hammer Punch as Rouge did a Hip Drop, heading straight to Sonic. He landed on his butt, with no idea where he was for a second. "Ohhhhh." he moaned.

Amy gasped and ran to her hero. "How dare you hurt Sonic like that!" She put his arms around him. "Are you okay, boo?"

Sonic rose and gained his senses and gently pushed Amy away. "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Tails rolled his eyes at the "couple" and continued. "There has been a strange detection of a mysterious and very powerful gem. From my tracking system, it seems to be very powerful if caught in the wrong hands. It's described as twice the size of the Master Emerald and a creamy white color."

Knux's eyes grew wide. "You've gotta be kidding me! That's the Angel Emerald!"

"The Angel Emerald?" Sonic asked, confused. Knux told the same story he told Rouge. "It couldn't have just reappeared instantly. It disappeared."

"Are you sure this story is absolutely true?" Tails asked.

"It's a myth, so it might be partially true." Knux replied.

"So the emerald can teleport." Tails said to himself, scribbling notes on a notepad he took out.

"Is it all in one piece, or is it shattered?" Rouge asked.

"As of now, it's fully intact, but that could change if someone like Eggman retrieves it. We have to get to that desert! It might be hidden underground, so we'll need you and Knuckles."

"Great! We can follow you in my helicopter! Up for it, knucklehead?"

"As long as I get to ride with you." Everyone except Rouge look at him strangely. They had never seen him say anything that friendly to Rouge.

"Cause you know how Sonic gets after chili dogs! I don't see how you and Amy can stand it!" he lied, scratching his neck nervously.

"I looove my Sonikku, even when he's stinky!" Amy exclaimed, hugging Sonic tighter.

"Ack! Can't breathe." he choked.

"Um, let's go!" Knux exclaimed.

Tails, Amy, and Sonic boarded the Cyclone while Knux and Rouge got into her heli (A/N: Hella good shorthand, huh? Hella heli, too! I'll stop now!).

"What's with the whole subject change?" Rouge asked inside the heli.

"What we do is none of their business."

"And what did we actually do?"

"We slept together, babe."

"That can mean so many things these days."

"Let it mean what it wants to."

"And what if I don't?"

"Guess we'll have to make the meaning true."

"I could go for that."

"I could go for that, too." He started staring at her curvatious figure while she concentrated on the Tornado.

"Okay, time to get technical!" she exclaimed. Knux was a little surprised by this statement, but he figured out what he meant when she pressed a small purple button. The whole white inside turned light purple. The control panel flipped over to show even more buttons and levers. A tracking screen appeared on the main window and the inside blocked out any sunlight from outside. She pressed a few more buttons setting the heli on autopilot to follow Tails, then picked up the speaker.

"Rouge to Tails, can you hear me?" she called in inside the speaker.

Back on the Cyclone, Tails was driving while Amy and Sonic were in the back. Sonic was trying very hard to keep his distance from Amy. All Tails could hear was Amy's kissing and Sonic yelling, "Rape! Tails help!" He laughed to himself when he heard Rouge over the comm. He picked it up and put it to his mouth.

"Tails here. What's up?"

"Nothing, just testing. Exactly where is the Emerald?"

"It's in an old tomb in Omari Desert."

"Where is that?"

"We should be there in a half hour."

"Alright, thanks!" she exclaimed as she put the comm. back down.

"Rouge, wait!"

She picked it back up and put it to her mouth. "Huh?"

"Can we have codenames, just in case we're heard by someone else?"

"Sure, fox boy."

"Not that one. I wanna be Foxy! You can be Hot Mama!"

"Alright, Tails." she agreed with a confused look.

"Nuh-uh-uh!" he scolded.

"Foxy."

"This is Foxy, over and out!"

Rouge put down the comm. and made a few location adjustments. She looked at Knux with confusion. "What the hell was that?" she asked him.

"Well, when he was on his way to the security door, he was hit by a laser and got electrocuted."

"Are you serious?"

"Would I ever lie to you?"

"You have nothing to lie about."

"Damn right. I have nothing to hide."

"You are so right." She looked him up and down, then shook her head slowly.

He realized what she was looking for and grinned. "I only take that out when there's an ultimate emergency."

"Which is never. Do you even remember what it looks like?" she questioned him.

"Wanna look for it? I dare you to find it."

"You've got the nerve to ask me that. I'm so lonely." She turned away dramatically.

"You're never lonely with me," he said, coming closer.

"I won't be if you don't stop."

"Guess I'll go on then. Like they say, a guy with big hands has a big- -"

She turned to him and shoved her tongue down his throat, enclosing his lips in a passionate kiss. His mouth open and closed in a pattern, with his tongue touching hers. She let go when she was out of breath. "Well.that.shut you up."

"Uh-huh." he replied, dumbfounded.

She giggled. "Who's desperate now?" she joked, gaining her senses.

He shook out of his trance, growing more serious. "Payback, huh?"

"Guess you could say that..you okay? I'm sorry if I."

"No, no. Don't worry. I'm alright. I-ow!" He fell to the floor, gasping in pain. Rouge got on her knees and put a hand on her back. "You okay?" she asked again with more concern. He took out the Master Emerald, which was glowing furiously.

"It.burned me." he replied.

"What?" she asked, confused. Jewels don't burn.do they?

"It's glowing. That must mean the Angel Emerald's near."

"You're right. We're almost there. I'll speed up the heli. You tell Tails what's up." Knux approached the comm. and contacted Tails. Both aircrafts sped up quickly.

Back at the Tornado, Tails was beginning to land. Sonic's screams became soft whispers. He finally pushed Amy off of him. She banged against the wall.

"Ooooooh, feisty! " She tackled him again. Sonic's torture annoyed Tails.

"Amy, lay off Sonic! Sonic, get out now and get the emerald!"

"Thanks, buddy!" He jumped out and sped off towards the tomb.

"I'll miss you, Sonic!" Amy called.

From the heli, Knux saw a small blue dot moving toward the emerald. "Hey, what's that?" he asked Rouge.

"Oh, that's probably Sonic, I'm sure of it.Wait, Knu--" By then, he had already jumped out of the plane, landing on his knuckles. He did a quick flip and sped off toward Sonic. It took a lot of practice, but Knux had finally improved his speed over the years. He was almost as fast as Sonic, which he had no problem catching up to.

"Sonic STOP!!" he called. The speedy hedgehog was running too fast to hear his friend. Wind and sand whipped at his face, not slowing him down.

"Crap." Knux said under his breath. He could feel the sand beating on him, slightly slowing him down.

Sonic entered the dark tomb and saw a white gem glowing in front of him. He reached for the emerald..

Knux tripped into the tomb panting heavily, and clutching his tense left leg. He had never run so fast in his life. He had pulled a hamstring in his leg. "Sonic." he whispered as he blacked out.

Sonic grabbed the emerald and tossed it up and down in his palm. A few minutes later, everyone else had arrived in the tomb. Rouge came in first and saw an unconscious Knux on the ground. She slowly picked him up and cradled him in her arms.

"Sonic, let go of the emerald!" she cried.

He was about to ask why when he felt the gem vibrate in his hand. It started to produce a bright light, blinding all of them. It moved out of Sonic's hand and floated in midair. In a split second, it broke into shards and zoomed into different directions.

"Oh no!" Tails exclaimed, clutching his head. "I wasn't thinking! Now this is my fault!"

"Don't flatter yourself, foxy. I guess I'm back in the hunting business, and so is my friend here. Glad to be back. We'll start looking tomorrow!" She went out of the tomb and walked back to the heli.

She opened a secret room inside the heli, revealing a small, dark bedroom. She laid Knuckles on the bed and spread his arms apart. She noticed that one of his white gloves were gone. She tucked him in and went back outside.

She spotted it quickly and brushed the sand off it. As she walked back, something gleamed in the sand. She approached the shiny object. She saw a dark purple shard half-buried in the sand. She picked it up and looked at the gem shard. It looked so beautiful. She slipped it into her pocket and went back into the heli.


	3. Secret's Out!

Chapter 3: The Secret's Out

Knux woke to an amazing sight. He was in a room covered in purple and black. It was dark, but the room glittered and sparkled with jewels on the walls in custom-made crystal cases. It made him relax and forget about his leg, which was still a little sore.

The door opened and a dark figure approached him. He recognized her when she stood in the middle of the room, with all the gems' sparkle reflecting off her. She almost resembled an angel, despite her regular clothing.

"Where the hell are we?" he asked.

"We're in my top-secret helicopter bedroom."

"So no one knows about this?"

"Well, you so far."

He grinned evilly at what she said. "So, are you gonna be sleeping in here, too? 'Cause I'd hate to waste a night in here without you."

She sighed. "If you insist."

"I'd go down on my knees, but that would hurt."

"Feeling better?"

"Now that I have company. Wanna know a secret?"

She sat on the bed beside him. "I'm all ears." Her ears slightly twitched at the sound of a secret.

"I think that kiss weakened my running. Keep that up, and I won't able to do anything." he joked.

She took it a little more seriously than he did. "So, it's all my fault." She looked away as she remembered him in her arms.

He gave her a look of concern as she did this. "Of course not! We're talkin' Sonic here. There's only one person that can catch up to him." He put a comforting arm around her.

"I wonder where he is now.." A single tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered seeing him fall to Earth.

"Probably gaping at how many jewels you have! I know I am!" He gave her a small smile. She lay on her back and laughed, with him still holding her. "See, I'm feeling better already!"

She sighed and looked at him. "How do you do it?"

"You want me to tell you? How about I show you?" he said, pulling her closer.

"Not if I show you first." she replied, copying his move. She slipped off a boot and let it casually slip to the floor. She rubbed her bare foot against his leg.

The extra warmth of her body relaxed him a lot. His eyes were half closed when she leaned toward him. He was now asleep. She sighed and did the same.

-dream sequence-

Knuckles was on the island, happy as ever. He had found something that was forbidden to him: love and affection.

He was in the Master Emerald shrine silently meditating, letting him drift away in the beauty of her face, her touch, her kiss.her love. Nothing could ever go wrong.

Then a voice that shattered like glass filled his mind, calling "SHE'S AN ANGEL IN DISGUISE!! YOU CAN'T FALL IN LOVE WITH HER!!"

It kept repeating itself until he felt himself losing his mind.

"ONCE A LONER, ALAWAYS A LONER!! ALL ALONE, GUARDING THE EMERALD, FOREVER!"

He was on the brink of insanity. He held his hands to his head, body convulsing.

-end dream sequence-

Her best friend, breaking out in a cold sweat and shaking, shook Rouge awake. His voice was a mass of confusion and insanity. She turned to see that his eyes were still closed.

"Knuckles!" she called. There was no answer besides his soft cries for help. She had no idea what to do. She hugged him tightly to hopefully stop the shaking. After a few seconds, the shaking ceased and he awoke with a major pain in his head. His breathing was labored also. "Knux! You scared me to death! Are you okay?" she asked with shock and concern.

He suddenly remembered who he was in bed with. His nightmare was still fresh in his mind. "Let go of me." he said softly, wriggling in her embrace.

"Not until you tell me what's up." she replied.

His anger flared up as a result. "I said, LET GO!" he screamed, breaking free, causing her to fall on the floor. He ran out the door and back into the cockpit, running out of the heli.

He followed the full moon to a small lake shaded with a few small trees. It reminded him of the island, but more mystical. He sat in the warm sand, putting his knees to his chest. He was still vulnerable, letting his feelings of love and betrayal crash on him again.

Rouge was dazed by the impact, but quickly recovered after Knux ran out. She had to find him.

She followed his footsteps carefully and spotted him in the sand. She had never seen him so traumatized before. She had to help him and be there for him as a loving friend, one of the only ones he had. She crept to him, but sat several inches from him, giving him space in case of another outburst. "You must've had a pretty bad nightmare, huh?" she asked.

"Leave me alone." he said not looking at her. His dreads covered the unforgettable loss in his eyes.

"Never. Whatever it was, it was a dream. It's not real."

"I finally realize that I'm meant to be alone."

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't fall in love with you."

She was startled by his remark. "You're.in.love with me?" she asked slowly.

"I can't fall in love with you." he replied closing his eyes.

"Does this have something to do with your nightmare?"

"You're going to hurt me." he said ignoring her.

"I can't hurt you. I'm your best friend. I'm trying to help you."

"Well, that kiss never helped."

"What is wrong with you? Am I gonna have a say in this?" she barked, growing angry.

"What's there to say? You don't love me-"

"That's just it! How would you know? You don't have my thoughts!"

He sat there silent. Her words had a powerful hit. He couldn't speak anymore.

"Stop denying yourself! I'll leave you alone if you do me one favor." She continued without letting him answer. "Look me in the eyes and tell me that you don't love me."

He looked up at her, but said nothing.

"As a matter of fact, hold that thought. Let me have my say. After saving Earth, you asked me if I was going to continue looking for jewels, and I said that I gave up and I was thinking of something more precious. Do you know what that was?" she paused and gave him a chance to think. "Our possible friendship, which changed the both of us for the better. Our companionship got the best of us, and I never felt lonely again. Now our friendship is stronger and my love is stronger. To make a long story short, I love you Knuckles." she finished with no hesitation.

He shook at those four words. He thought he would never hear them in his lifetime. He suddenly opened up. "You know, you really surprised me over the last few months, Rouge. You're great competition and a great friend, and that changed me forever. I can't thank you enough, but." he choked after the last word.

"But what? Are you gonna let a nightmare tell you how to live your life? I know you better than that, believe me. What happened to that sweet, competitive, and sexy echidna I know?" He smiled to himself, not replying. "Look at me knucklehead, and tell me you don't love me."

He finally faced her. Her gaze was more beautiful than ever. The moon and stars gave her a certain glow. Her eyes reminded her of the waterfall back on the island, peaceful and dazzling. Then his vision got blurry.

Was she blind? He was.crying? His sparkling tears ran down his cheek at a fast pace. He blinked them back, giving her a gaze that was hypnotizing.

The violet in his eyes reminded her of the desert night, mysterious and promising. His tears were the stars, glistening in the darkness.

"I-I-" he started to say.

She filled the space between them, her eyes pleading him to go on.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he spoke. "Rouge I don't-" The last word slipped, meaning nothing. He looked at her hurtful gaze and choked back the last two words. Her eyes made him speechless.

"So.you don't love me." she said, turning away.

"Rouge, that didn't come out right-"

"You spoke from your heart.How could you be wrong?" she shouted.

"Damn guardian conscience." he mumbled to himself.

"So, I dragged myself out here to get hurt by my best friend.Touching, Knux. Just what I need." Rouge said with a bitterness that made Knux's heart sink.

"I'm sorry, Rouge. I never wanted to hurt you." Knux started.

"Too late." she interrupted with the same tone.

"Do you think that I became your friend just to hurt you? Would you ever think that I had the least bit of attraction toward you? Do you think I would've changed my attitude for the first time in my life to play this game with you? We both know that I care for you, Rouge." he said, opening up slowly.

She turned back at his eyes full of truth and sincerity. She couldn't deny what he said.

He slowly continued, never taking his eyes off hers. His hand connected with hers. "How can I not love you? You're my best friend, probably the only real one I've ever had. The island was nothing without you. You made me forget why I was there sometimes. You're the reason why I have a life. I.I love you, Rouge. If you don't believe me, I'll show you." he confessed with a seriousness that Rouge could hear in his voice.

Now tears were falling from her eyes. She was enticed by his confession. It was the only reaction to his powerful words. She never thought he would say something like that to her. She watched him slowly remove his gloves, revealing large, soft hands with two bone spikes protruding from each one. He cupped her cheek in one hand, using his thumb to wipe her tears away, his eyes halfway closing at the soft texture of his skin.

They could both feel something hidden inside for so long, begging to come out. They've both had the occasional dream, but the reality of the situation was unreal. No longer afraid anymore, they gave in to their desires.

He kissed her softly, moving his hand to her shoulder to meet the other. He moved his fingers slowly and steady, giving her a massage she would never forget. She kissed him back with a feeling of love and lust. She loved the attention she was getting from his lips and his hands.

He stopped and looked at her, wide-eyed. She gave him an identical stare with her aqua blue eyes.

She was swept off her feet (literally!) and she felt a rush of wind. Before she knew it, he had carried her to the bedroom. She smiled sexily as he gently placed her on the bed.

He kicked off his shoes and lay on top of her, like a few days ago. He was ready to make his move, for real this time. He shifted slightly, making her feel the warmth of his fur against hers. His head rose above her chest, with his dreadlocks falling at her sides. They tickled her lightly. She grew hot, causing her to tremble again. He sensed this and moved to her ear, letting his deep yet quick breaths caress it.

"Relax.I know what I'm doing." He laid his head on her chest and purred deeply. She grew wide-eyed at this.

"Oh God, oh God, oh God." she thought repeatedly as her breath started to quicken. Her thoughts were cut off by another lip encounter. This time, he pressed harder and she could feel his tongue roll across her lips. Her competitive side got the best of her, causing her to keep her mouth closed.

He was making his move, but she didn't budge. He still kissed her, making her upper lip moist. He could picture her body with his eyes closed, contemplating his alternative move. He ran his hand down her shirt and softly caressed her breasts. She moaned at this surprise, accidentally giving in. His tongue overlapped hers. She tried to break free of the foreign object in her mouth and overlapped his own. They both fought for dominance and this time, Knux won. He kissed her deeply while he undid her jumpsuit mentally and physically. It rolled off the bed on its own.

His lips buried themselves between her bulging chest. He tasted strawberries and sweat, which made his tongue linger longer at the spot. He could feel her fast heartbeat and her moans of pleasure. He moved to the two mountains and did the same, not getting a bigger reaction than the previous spot. He went back, making her moan louder. He led his hands up and down her sides. He released himself from the addiction and made his way down to her thick thighs.

By now, she was shivering at his touch. She liked the feeling as he got down to her thighs. Then she felt a sudden shove inside her. It didn't hurt at all, it just caught her off guard. "Was that his.no, it can't be." she thought. She opened her eyes, seeing Knux kneeling at her opening. He wasn't connected to her like that, but something still poked and probed inside her. She had figured it out. Knux had a barb inside her and was grinning like hell.

She did the opposite of complaining at this surprising action. He slowly pulled it back and forth, making her draw in short breaths. She gasped as the movement grew faster.

She could feel a rush of emotion inside her. "Ah.oh.Knuckles!" she warned.

It didn't phase him, and she reached her climax. He took the barb out and sighed. He slowly slipped it into his mouth, tasting her sweet juices. Then he went to gather the rest inside with his tongue.

She felt the impossible inside her and moaned softly as he tasted her sugar walls. After a few minutes, he emerged licking his wet lips. She sat up, ready to be on the giving end.

She kissed him roughly, wrapping her arms around his torso. She felt a deep groan pass him as her kissing led him to a laying position.

He easily let her tongue enter his mouth, groaning at the sudden changes in speed and pressure. He was slowly losing control of all thought and speech, and let her have her way with him.

After ten minutes, he was gasping for breath as she broke the kiss. She buried her face into his neck, caressing it with her lips and tongue. The spot on his neck grew warmer from the impact, causing her to lose control and she slowly slid her fangs into his neck.

He quickly gained his senses after feeling the slight sting of the bite. "What the hell." he started. She heard him speak and she looked up from his neck.

"What?" she asked before looking down at the two puncture marks in the left side of his neck. "Holy shit!" she yelled, starting to panic.

His voice calmed her down. "I'm alright, just keep going."

She obeyed and licked the blood away, slowly healing the small wound. She instantly ran her hands down his chest, feeling his hard muscles. They blew her mind up close.

Her sudden touch made him lose control again, making him forget the bite and focus on the present. It made him shudder, but he felt hot at the same time.

She massaged his legs and thighs, working him up to the point where she couldn't understand her name spoken anymore. She laid back on top of him, about to ask him a question and getting a natural answer. She felt something hard against her thigh. She rolled off him, revealing his boy toy. It was bigger than she had imagined.

"Oh, crap." he thought realizing it too. It was out in the open, but not for long. She slowly traced a spiral path on it with a stray finger, still blowing her mind. She heard him moan in reply.

Her tongue replaced her hand, tracing the same path repeatedly. She felt him grow harder and she slipped him into her mouth.

He sat there wide-eyed, not moving as she moved in and out of her mouth, gaining speed and pressure. He moaned and closed his eyes, one of them twitching slightly. He started trembling and opened his eyes at the internal rush he was getting. He had no ability to speak, just to moan and pant in the relaxation of the revelation.

She licked at the last bit of liquid. She drew her face to his, eyes full of hunger. His stare was similar and they both met lips, tasting their own satisfaction. They kissed harder, still high off each other and ready for more. For heroes and treasure hunters, they sure had a lot of energy.

After twenty minutes, they let go, out of breath. She felt the tingle. She needed him, now. She rolled off him, signaling him to come closer. He rolled toward her, his upper body sliding past her thighs.

They connected with ease. He was as close to her as humanly possible. She wrapped her strong legs around his back while he had one hand supporting her back and the other grabbed her waist, pulling her even closer. They were both ready for the worst.

He slowly moved out, then made his way back in. It became a second nature and he began picking up speed.

His thrusts excited her and she began to lose control. She gasped and panted between each movement.

He could tell she liked what he was doing. Sweat dripped from his wet dreads onto the bed and her body. He proved his true feelings finally and now he wasn't giving up by a long shot.

She could sense his energy flow and it wasn't stopping soon. She was far from annoyed by it and received him. She had needs and he met them. Hell, he did beyond her needs. She knew she wasn't leaving his side anytime soon.

He was getting bigger and she was getting tighter. It was almost time. He picked up speed again. She could feel him throbbing. She dug her heels into his back. He could only last a few more movements and he felt that she was weakening too. He kept his pace and closed his eyes.

"I...I love you, Rouge.." he confirmed.

"Ah.I love you too, Knuckles.." she replied without a doubt in her mind.

He screamed her name while she screamed something far beyond English. He released beyond his control, eyes wide as possible, then closing them, feeling the ecstasy.

She let out a scream that shattered his ears and hers, but she didn't seem to care. She felt his head fall on her shoulder, causing her to release the grip on his back. His weight rested on her chest.

After a few minutes, he slowly released his internal grip on her, rolling on his back. Rouge's constant moaning filled his ears. He felt light. Everything that ever bothered him was lifted for the night. He felt amazing. He tried to explain to Rouge, but only a deep exhale escaped his lips, with a few pants following suit.

She looked at him, and what a sight it was. He looked weaker than after their last fight months ago. He said nothing, probably as weak as she was. She was surprised that he turned to face her.

His eyes locked onto hers for a long time. She kept staring into his hazy eyes and said nothing. It seemed like he read her mind when he put his arms around her and held tight. She had the safest feeling of all time.

---

Ah, what fun to write!


	4. Angel Search Begins!

Chapter 4: Angel Search Begins!

Knux was the first to wake the next morning. He still held her in his arms the night before. Looking at her brought back the wonderful (A/N: and detailed! Hehehehehe.) memories. He got lost in his fantasy, not realizing who was awake beside him.

She could tell that he was daydreaming. He tended to do that when she was around. Who knew what went through his head all those times? She spotted her mark on his neck. It gave off a purplish tint on his skin. She put her lips to it, hoping to get her lover back to Earth.

"To the left." he thought aloud. "Now right.oh yeah.. Lower." A moan escaped his physical being.

She loved the vibration he gave off, causing her to suck on the spot.

"Yeah.keep going." His eyes grew wider as the seconds passed.

She released her lips when she saw his eyes. "Um, are you okay?" she asked.

He didn't answer, but let out a piercing scream that sounded like her name. She felt something on her leg and he came back to reality. "Uuuuuuhhh.." he groaned. She burst out laughing, rolling around on the bed. She got close to the edge and fell off, taking him with her. She still laughed as they hit the floor.

"Ow! Hey! What did I-" he started before realizing what he just did over the last few minutes. "God, I'm an idiot!" he yelled while she still laughed.

"Since when do you scream with your eyes open?" she asked after calming down.

"I did that?" he asked. He was still a little confused over what happened. He sighed. "What a great way to wake up after last night!" he joked.

She flashed a sexy grin. "I can think of better. Follow me." He let go of her and started getting up, brushing a few sensitive places off. She went in the bathroom while he gaped in the doorway. She slowly turned on the water and turned to him.

"Well, aren't you coming?" she asked as if nothing changed.

"HELL YEAH!!" he yelled jumping up and down.

Knux and Rouge came out of the heli a few hours later. Rouge wore a lavender tank top and not-so-tight leather pants with matching boots with a purple heart on each. They saw Sonic, Tails and Amy nearby.

"Hey, y'all!" Sonic called to them. His quills were a mess, but he was still on his eternal sugarhigh.

"Someone got bed hair?" Knux questioned him.

"Don't ask, don't tell."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"We'll talk later." Knux nodded in reply still confused.

"Hey, treasure hunters!" Tails greeted. "Guess our job is done. You think y'all can handle finding the other pieces?"

"It'll be a little easier now that we're on the same side." Rouge replied.

"Thought so. Well, we should be getting back to Station Square. Call me if you need me, Hot Mama." he said with a wink before walking off with Sonic and Amy, who were smiling and said nothing.

Rouge and Knux stood silent until they left. "You don't think." Knux started.

"That's just crazy!" Rouge finished.

"Not as crazy as we were last night." he grinned.

"Don't even start. I turned you out, end of discussion!" she smiled, crossing her arms.

"No matter how much we compete, it's always a draw! We both passed out." he stated.

"It's all your fault!" she accused.

"And why is that a crime?" he asked sarcastically.

"If you weren't so damn good."

"Can't complain about that."

"You're right. I'll never forget it."

"You won't be able to. I'll be here forever by your side." he added with a romantic tone.

She smiled. "I love this side of you."

He pouted. "I thought you said you loved all of me. Make up your mind, woman!" She pushed and pinned him to the ground and gave him a passionate kiss.

"I love the way you are. Don't ever change."

"As long as you won't." he replied before kissing her back.

She got off him quickly and cocked her head toward the heli. "We gotta find the emerald pieces. They'll more time for this later." He followed her toward the heli.

They got inside quickly and shut the door. Knux leaned against a wall and slid down to the floor while Rouge stayed near the control panel. She pressed a few controls and got the emerald on radar.

"Our destination is Chocolate Mountain, three hours from here."

"What are you gonna do now?" he asked curiously.

She leaned against the opposite wall and copied his move. "I don't know." she sighed and looked at him with hopeful looking eyes.

He gave her a sexy smile and filled the space between them. He softly kissed her with no aggressiveness intended. She was slowly hypnotized by his actions.

As the heli descended, a dark figure hid in the shadows, grinning with insanity. "Soon enough." he cackled before disappearing in a flash.

The heli's descending startled the two, who had never moved from their spot. They both stared into each other's eyes. She smiled and closed her eyes halfway. "Has anyone told you that you have beautiful eyes?"

"Tell me something I don't know." he said, still staring at her.

Her eyes went out of his focus. "Shadow may still be alive."

Knux looked confused. "Are you serious?"

"I felt a strange presence since the threesome left us."

"Ya sure it wasn't just me?"

"You're strange beyond reason, but I felt something stranger."

"Whatever it is, I'm with you," he said, wrapping his arms around her.

"Glad to hear it." she replied. "Now get off me. We have emeralds to find, again."

"Aaaaawwww." he begged.

"Later, freak!" she yelled, pushing him off her.

He sighed. "Alright, whatever." He rose from his spot reluctantly and exited the heli. It was mid-afternoon with the sun shinning over the mountain peak. Rocks and boulders decorated the mountain, making it look very complicated to climb.

"Okay, we've got seven pieces to find. You ready?" he asked.

"Not until a bet is in order." she answered.

He rolled his eyes, knowing the better trained of the two. "You're on. What do you have in mind?"

"Whoever loses gets to wear the other's clothes for a day." she confirmed.

"But I don't wear any clothes."

She smiled. "Now you do!" She held out a shopping bag. "Try 'em on!"

"Okay, but you can't look til I say so."

She turned away from him, then tried to sneak a peek. He was out of sight by then. She looked around until she heard a voice behind her.

"I've got two words: It's buttah!!"

She turned to see just that. He wore a red muscle shirt with slightly baggy black pants and boots. He also wore a red headband with black rubber bands on his dreads. He was to die for. "Delish!" she exclaimed.

"How do you do it?" he beamed.

"I've got connections." she confirmed.

"Damn good, I should say! I've neva been so sexy in my life!" he said, striking various poses.

"I'm not surprised. So, is the bet final, or are you chicken?" she asked.

"I love me some chicken, but I gotta see you lose." he commented.

"No chance of that happening." she stated haughtily. "We start here." She pointed her foot at a mark, which was the mid-mountain entrance. "Ready?"

He got into combat stance and faced the entrance. "I am one with the Angel Emerald!"

She did the same. "I won't lose to the likes of you!"

"Why does that sound so familiar?"

"It's the clothes talking." They both ran in different directions of the mountain, punching and kicking obstacles out of the way.

In a matter of minutes, they had both retrieved three pieces. They were both at the top of the mountain with their detectors beeping slowly and the tracker glowed an emerald green.

Rouge looked to the sky and saw a small twinkle. She quickly activated her treasure scope and slinked to a hidden spring.

Knux followed every single move she made and met Rouge's altitude. She grinned at him in the air and shouted, "Black Wave!" which knocked him off the mountain and gave her the last emerald.

She landed swiftly and glided around Knux saying, "Who's bad, who's bad." repeatedly.

The stars disappeared from his sight and he gained his senses. "You're one sneaky bat, but I'll get you next time."

"We'll see how much of a bat you'll resemble tomorrow."

"Well, I'll just use Chaos Control and take us to the next day."

She gave him a shocked look and crossed her arms. "You wouldn't dare."

"Try me." he said, copying her.

Her shock changed to a look of confidence. "If you had the emerald, that is."

"What are you talking about? I always have the-" he started to say, reaching into his pockets and finding nothing.

"Empty air?" she asked, taking the emerald out of her pocket. "Or this? I can't really recall this precious gem. How 'bout you refresh my memory?"

He gave her a look of suspicion. "So you're better than I thought."

"You'll never know how much.I suggest you start trying on my clothes to get used to the embarrassment." she continued.

"Maybe I'll do just that!" he remarked, slinking off into the distance.

She smiled at the thought of him in her clothes. Her thoughts were interrupted by a slow beeping sound from her detector.

She followed a path until the tracker became red and beeped with intense speed. She kicked away a few boulders and dug a hole in the empty space. She saw an identical dark purple shard to the one she retrieved the day before. She stuck it into the same pouch and rushed to the heli.

Knux was nowhere in sight, so she went to her control panel and made a worldwide search for a gem resembling the shards she collected. There were no dark purple gems that matched the shards.

"I wonder if this one is a myth like Knux said," she thought. "Maybe I should tell him. He could help me find the other pieces and-"

Then a familiar voice rang out in her head. "You won't ell Knuckles about this emerald. You're capable of finding it herself. You'll find what you're looking for eventually."

She obeyed the voice and kept the secret to herself, growing more interested in this emerald's power. She snapped out of it when Knux came in with her clothes on.

"I think I feel a little better about my situation." he confirmed.

"Good to hear it."

"And I've been doing some thinking over tomorrow's bet."

"Oh, it can't be that bad."

"This one is gonna kill you if you lose, which I don't have to recommend you to do." he warned.

"I'm not losing just so you can live out the sick fantasies in your dirty mind."

He smiled, getting an idea. "Now that's a classic! Thanks for the idea, babe!" he exclaimed.

Rouge sighed as she banged her head against the wall while he laughed at her.


	5. Artic Chills and Warm Memories!

Chapter 5: Artic Chills and Warm Memories

As the heli went deeper in the South Pole, Rouge got colder. She was under Knuckles and three thick blankets, still shivering.

Knux could feel her cool temperature. "Still cold?" he asked.

"Y-Yeah." she stuttered.

He pressed his body firmly against hers, giving her more warmth. She still shook under him. He then locked his warm, moist lips with her cold ones. No matter the temperature, he loved kissing her. She was vulnerable, so deepening the kiss was easy for him this time. She felt her temperature rise as his kisses grew deeper. His tongue nearly touched her throat, making her lose breath and break away. She was dazed. All she could see was his eyes full of concern.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Whaa? Oh yeah." she babbled.

He laughed as he got off her. He snuck towards the door hoping she wouldn't notice.

"Hey! Aren't you forgetting something?" she asked, back to normal.

He didn't want to remember the bet he lost, but he knew she wouldn't forget it. "Aw, c'mon! It's cold!" he whined.

"You haven't complained since now. I love you, but I love your suffering even more!" she exclaimed.

He mumbled to himself as he changed in the bathroom. When he emerged, Rouge couldn't help but roll on the floor laughing. The top of her jumpsuit was hanging over his chest, but the rest fit pretty well.

"I'll wear the pants, but the top's gotta go! I could catch snow in this!" he complained.

"Hey, that's your problem!" she said while rising to her feet.

"I'll fix it!" He grabbed the top part and ripped it from the seams easily.

"Hey!" she screamed and pushed him on the bed. They stared for a moment, and then he leaned in for a kiss. She pulled back and said, "Not til I win and have you begging for mercy."

"Which reminds me! Loser gets to do whatever the winner wants for the night."

"That shouldn't be hard." she commented.

"Oh, but I like it hard, if you know what I mean."

"Sure thing, loser."

They left the bedroom and looked out at the landscape. Ice and snow was scattered everywhere. Icy ponds and lakes glittered the area around a big ice cave. The chilly landscape gave Knux an even cooler idea.

"Let's take a thrill  
In the Artic Chill  
Used to be a hotspot, but now the cold could kill  
Makes ya wanna sit back enjoy the ice  
And do what I like you begin to shine  
Sure I beez watchin' that gem all the time  
But I gotta do it, it always stays outta line  
But for now, I'm gonna just chill and live  
While I stay the protecta of the emeralds and gems!"

"Hmmm..not bad!" Rouge complimented.

"Yeah, you know what's up!" he said, still in the groove.

"Actually, you're goin' down cause you're gonna lose!" she joked.

"Hmmm, talkin' to yourself again?" he asked sarcastically.

"We'll see who's joking when we get back up here!" she shouted.

"May the best sexy show-off win!" Knux shouted back. The heli landed in the snow and before you knew it, Knux and Rouge were off to find the emerald pieces.

Knux didn't have a problem with the icy cold environment. He had been in extremely low temperatures in a few heroic quests for Eggman. Rouge didn't have it that easy.

She was dressed in a leather jumpsuit with black boots, which still made her cold. She was lucky enough to get her foot stuck in an ice pond three times and successfully finding a frozen emerald the third time.

She skated gracefully over a large, icy lake. She reached out to grasp the emerald piece near her, in which she succeeded. The problem was that she got caught off-guard by it and fell on her butt, causing the ice to break around her. Before she could escape, the ice separated, making her plunge into the icy water.

She struggled to rise to the surface, but an unknown force was pushing her down. As she sank lower, the pressure got to her more. Her head throbbed and she could barely see. She had to close her eyes as a result. Her body temperature started dropping rapidly. She kicked and flailed her arms under the icy water until she caught something on her foot. Her temperature warmed up and she could now swim to the surface.

She started walking and heard a crunching sound under her boot. Under it was some broken ice and a large, dark purple gem core.

The color of the core reminded her of her lover's eyes. It also reminded her of something else. It was something short in her past that had disappeared. She couldn't put her finger on it yet.

A rush of mysterious power filled her body. The world around her grew dark and so did her thoughts. She realized what the gem reminded her of. Him. Before she could put it all together, she a voice behind her, beckoning her to come with him. She obeyed until another familiar voice played with her ears. The dark feeling washed away in a split second and she was back to reality. She saw Knux run over to her with victory in his eyes.

"What happened, Rouge? Ice got your tongue?" he teased.

"Huh?" she asked, confused.

"I won!" he exclaimed.

She now remembered what they were doing here. She looked in her left hand and saw two emerald shards. In her other hand laid the mysterious gem core. She quickly put it out of her sight.

"Whatcha hidin'? Embarassed at how bad you lost?" he teased. He took a good look at her. She was soaking wet and ice started forming on her body. Her wings were half frozen as her eyes were half closed in semi- drowsiness. He dropped the act instantly and got worried. "Are you okay, Rouge?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine." she answered quickly.

"You're half frozen!" he scolded as he wrapped his warm arms around her. "You're colder than I am!"

"I took a plunge, so sue me!" she shouted, pushing him away.

"Don't lie! You hate the cold! You fell in, didn't you?" he asked, not phased by the anger in her words.

"So what if I did?" she snapped again.  
"What's up with you?" he retorted.

"I'm okay! Why won't you believe me?" she yelled.

"You were complaining about the cold ten minutes ago," he stated.

"And?"

"I care about you, Rouge. What's wrong with that?" he asked with anger.

"Just because I had sex with you doesn't make you my mother! Leave me alone!" She stomped off towards the heli.

Knux was so confused at her that he didn't see her hand enclosed in an amethyst glow.

???

By the time she got back to the heli, the glow faded and she stood there, dazed at the last few minutes that passed. She hadn't pushed him away since the night he saved her life. She had no clue on how that got the best of her. It was like she was under control. The mixed feelings bothered her so much that it gave her a blow to the head. She laid on the bed and eventually fell asleep.

Darkness surrounded her, encasing her in cold feelings and guilt. A big, black space could be seen around her. She walked around, scared and slightly vulnerable. Her footsteps echoed through the empty space. She could sense another's presence.

Soon enough, a voice could be heard loud and clear. It sounded smooth and relaxing, but at the same time it was dark and cold. It sounded so familiar to her.

"Soon you will be mine.forever.Just wait.you won't be able to get away this time."

His laughter echoed in her mind repeatedly. She saw a flash of scarlet and she was instantly awake. A dark figure stood before her with his face in the shadows. His arms were crossed and his gloves reflected off the dim candlelight.

"You thought you could get away.but you never will.you'll see.

He disappeared in a flash of green light. His words stuck in her mind and it scared her to death. Was this her imagination or was his message very convincing?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sweet, calming smell. She knew the scent too well. She opened her eyes and saw ten orchids by her bed and Knux lying on his back at the foot of the bed, watching her.

She was speechless. "Knuckles, I--"

"It's okay. I deserved it, but you deserve the best." he said in a relaxing tone.

She rolled over and joined him on his left side. "Guess a flashback of my old self, huh? Surprised you didn't run away this time."

He turned to her, brushing a dreadlock away from his face. "Can't get rid of me that easy."

"So, you weren't after the emerald? You were after me?" she asked.

"Well, no, not at first. After I saved your life, I felt something for you. I thought it would never get out. I was so used to keeping things to myself, since I was alone most of my life. Having a best friend and a lover wasn't in my job description," he confessed.

"No wonder we're connected. I feel the same way," she agreed.

"So, you have no regrets at all?" he asked with doubt.

"Of course not! I confessed first. I wasn't expecting what happened, but I liked the unpredictable of the situation."

"Whatever I dreamed about last night was probably my old self trying to come out again. I'm not gonna let it get in the way anymore. It almost cost me something so precious and beautiful." he confessed, looking into her eyes, which were close to tears.

She couldn't speak. She had never heard anything so beautiful in her life. Her eyes spilled tears of joy down her face. He wrapped his arms around her in a loving embrace. She laid her head on his chest and closed her eyes. "I love you, Rouge. I wouldn't be able to leave if I tried." he spoke softly in her ear.

She was flying. A feeling of unexplainable happiness and freedom washed over her after he spoke. She could never recall having a feeling so strong.

He spoke his mind. His thoughts, hopes, and dreams had all came true that night. Now he was in love for the first time. No matter how much his mind doubted it, his constantly beating heart spoke the truth.

They held each other for hours, gazing at each other's mesmerizing eyes. Neither were letting go anytime soon.


	6. The Darkness Awakens

Arrg, so much pointless crap was at the beginning of all these chap's. I apologize. -rolls eyes-

Chapter 6: The Darkness Awakens

Rouge and Knux woke to thunder crashing in the distance. Their next emerald-finding destination was nearby, and they both had a feeling that it wasn't gonna be easy.

"Where are we?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"The question is, where was I last night?" he asked mysteriously.

"I know! You were on--"

"Shh." He put a finger to her lips. "That's for you to know and for me to find out lata."

"Get off me, you sicko!" she screamed, pushing him off the bed. "Let's just get this over with. I've got better things to do."

"Like what?"

"I dunno."

"You know! You've got somethin' planned for tonight, don't you?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Just because you were cold yesterday, doesn't mean that I've forgotten the bet."

"You'll see."

They exited the bedroom and looked out of the heli. Dark clouds covered the sky, which made it hard to find out where they were. This was the final place where the last Angel Emerald shards lie. Of course, there is more than what they've bargained for.

The heli landed and they were out in the open again. Night covered the space around them, which was confusing because it was daytime, according to the control screen inside the heli. Lightening flashed in the sky at random times.

"Man, this reminds me of the mountainside I found the Master Emerald pieces on." Knuckles commented. (A/N: Gotta love Pumpkin Hill! It's a game thang!)

"This is really giving me the creeps." Rouge said shakily.

"Don't worry. Just find all the pieces you can and we'll be outta here soon enough." Knux comforted. She nodded in reply and they were off.

Knux started collecting pieces left and right. For a dark place, they were much easier to find than yesterday.

Rouge was quite creeped out. She loved the nightlife, but this place gave her an uneasy feeling. She moved quickly, also finding emerald pieces easily. A flash of lightening almost struck her, but she got out of the way thanks to her incredible hearing.

It struck the ground near her, creating a large hole in the ground. A black glow emerged from the hole. She could hear the voice again, coming from the hole. She crawled to the hole and peered inside.

The sight was amazing. She could see the last purple emerald shard twenty feet underground. She could feel the power as she got closer to the edge.

She swooped down and stared at it. The voice got louder as her hand reached out for it. She grabbed the piece and look at it.

The piece moved as if she activated something. All the other pieces including the core moved and attached themselves together. The black-purple glow blinded her as it flashed before her eyes.

She could feel the power within. The control she had all these years, the barriers that protected her from gaining it fell as she accepted the power of the jewel. She could feel herself rising from the hole. Her wings were flapping, but she wasn't doing it herself. She took to the sky with a black- purple glow around her. She grinned evilly and floated there, with the jewel's power guiding her thoughts. She saw a dark figure calling to her from the ground. His scarlet eyes flashed evilly.

"Come, come to me, Dark Angel." he called.

Her wings obeyed as her mind raced with questions. "Why am I doing this? Who is he? Am I under some control?" She tried flying back to her previous spot, but her wings wouldn't obey. The pain that she got from this struggle was unbearable, so she gave up trying. She wanted to know who he was, and flying away wouldn't help.

As she got closer to the ground, she recognized the figure increasingly. The red in his quills blended with his fur easily. A gloved hand was extended towards her as she safely landed.

She grew terrified. What was going on? "Shadow?"

"Hmmm.It all worked according to plan."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"It's not important."

"This has something to do with the jewel, doesn't it? You were inside my head! But how?" she asked, confused at his actions.

"You'll find out if you come with me."

"This is really scaring me. Why would I want to come with you?"

"Because there are consequences for not following my orders."

She started to turn away from him, ready to call Knuckles. "What makes you think I'll--"

A flash of light that consumed her cut off her question. It numbed her sense of sight and gave her a wave of pain that caused her body to convulse wildly. It stopped instantly and his hand returned to his side.

"You'll listen, count on it. !!"

---

Knux saw the flash of green light in the distance. He looked around. Rouge was nowhere in sight. He rushed toward the light and found a large hole. He jumped in it and saw the last two pieces of the Angel Emerald and a stray glove. He picked it up and realized something. "Rouge." he thought. He took to the air and searched the area. He found his walkie-talkie and turned it on.

"Knux to Tails, can ya hear me?"

---

Back at Mystic Ruins, Tails had just walked in to Sonic and Amy making out on the couch. Sonic and Amy were getting closer everyday since they had visited Knux and Rouge and it sickened him. He liked it better when Sonic was trying to avoid her.

Sonic broke the kiss and stared deeply into her eyes. "Amy, you're so hot."

She smiled. "Do you know how long I've waited for you to say that?" They started making out again.

Tails couldn't take the burn in his eyes anymore. "Guys!" he yelled. There was no answer from them. He sighed and left the room. A quiet buzzing played with his ears in the kitchen. He spotted his walkie-talkie vibrating on the counter. He picked it up and spoke into it.

"Tails here. What's up?"

"Tails, this is Knux. I think Rouge is in trouble."

"What? Where are you?"

"I have no idea. Can you track the heli?"

"Um.sure, if it's not too far away. I'll go check. Stay where you are! Over and out!"

Knux put the walkie-talkie down and sighed. Him and Rouge had separated over thirty minutes ago, and he already missed her. He sat in the heli and stared into space.

They reappeared in the same black abyss that was her nightmare. Purple and red candlelight flickered off the walls of the room. She stumbled and started to fall, but Shadow caught her in time.

"You need to be in top condition for what I have planned." His cold voice sent chills down her spine.   
"And what is that?" she asked shakily.

"You wanna know every little thing, don't you?"

"What do you want me for?"

"That's just it. I want you, Rouge." he said as he turned away.

"Well, this isn't the way to tell me, now is it?" she asked sarcastically.

"I saw you while I was falling, Rouge. I saw you with that echidna. I knew right then that I wanted you. I loved you. Your perseverance, your dedication, your beauty.It inspired me to live. I know I'm going to spend the rest of my life with you, Rouge."

"What?" she asked. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Well, why is it that all I see is you? I hear your voice in my head. Everything reminds me of you. I can't just avoid it."

"I'm in love with Knuckles, Shadow." she confessed.

"I don't care." Shadow said with the sharpness of a knife.

"I don't love you, Shadow." Rouge refused.

"I don't care." he repeated.

"If you don't care, then why am I here?"

He turned to her with confidence. "I can make you love me."

"How can you do that? I love Knuckles, didn't you hear me?"

He shook his head. "You see, that's why I love you, Rouge. You never back down. You know me well enough to know that I don't back down that easy myself. I get what I want when and how I want it." He still held her in his arms.

She tried to wriggle free, but his grip was too strong. "You wouldn't." she begged at the thought of him raping her.

"I wouldn't disrespect you like that. I have other ways. You tell me now and get rid of Knuckles, or I'll have to force it out of you."

"You know I can't do that, Shadow. No matter how much you torture me, I'll still love Knuckles and nothing can change that. You can't always get what you want, you know."   
"Oh, but I can, my dark angel." He extended an arm and held his hand inches away from her face.

She saw the purple-black glow again. She remembered that she still held the mysterious emerald. The power rushed at her thoughts, begging her to say those four words.

"No! I won't give in, Shadow. I love Knuckles!" she convinced herself.

"Hmm, you're tougher than I thought. So am I." His fingers brushed her cheek, making the power come into full contact with her mind.

She saw the flash of light again, blinding her as it covered her body and his. This time, it stung every inch of her body. She agonized, but she had no mercy. "You can't do it, Shadow. I'll die before you make me say those words." she said, wincing in pain.

"I don't wanna kill you. You will say it and mean it." His hand came in full contact with her fur, making the power even stronger.

She convulsed in pain as the darkness flowed through her mind. It plagued every thought and memory she had. Her head felt heavy and her eyes were wet with tears. She gasped, "No, Shadow I don't.love you.Let me die.."

"No, I have control. Relax and just say it. I will have my way with you." he said through clenched teeth.

"Never." she said before a burning sensation went through her whole body. She screamed and kicked like a little child.

"You will say it!" he yelled. His fingers stroked her fur, turning the power up a notch.

She was at the point where screaming did nothing for her. Her mind did that job. Her voice was a whisper, still refusing Shadow's plea.

This was the highest he could get to torturing her. Any higher, and he would kill her. He weakened her, and that's all that mattered. "It'll come out any minute now.." he thought.

Her body weakened in Shadow's arms. She was on the verge of death, but it never took her. She opened her eyes to see his glowing ones. It was sweet to see him confess like that, but torturing her would never work. She could still feel the power clawing at her mind.

"Say it." he summoned.

Thoughts of Shadow filled her head instantly. It didn't phase her, but she could feel the control over her thoughts and feeling slowly dying in her mind. Her pride was weakening and she was moments from saying the words. She had no control now.

He could see it. After all that torture, he would get what he was looking for. He could see her lips forming unspoken words. The silence was broken by her labored words.

"Shadow, I.."

---


	7. Investigation and Mixed Feelings

Chapter 7: The Investigation is in Order!:

A few hours later, Knux heard a plane coming from inside the heli. He slowly got up and walked outside. He saw the Tornado 3 land right beside him. He saw a traumatized Tails turn it off and heading in his direction. Tails put his arms around Knux, shivering and shaking while breaking out in some major sweat.

"Make it stop, Knux! Make it stop!"

"Whoa! What are you talking about, man?" Tails slowly pointed toward the Tornado 3. He pulled Tails off him and headed towards the improved plane.

He entered the bigger plane. It was now equipped with a big tracking system and lots of extra room in the back, where Sonic and Amy stood. A karaoke machine lay beside them. They both had a microphone in one hand, with the other hand wrapped around the other's.

Knux just stared. The sight of them singing together would plague his nightmares forever. Sonic and Amy noticed Knux staring at them as if they were poison.

"Hey, Knux! Like our new karaoke machine?" Sonic asked. There was no reply. "Um, Knux, are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, fine! You might wanna check out your buddy, man." Knux said pointing to Tails, who just came in.

He was clutching his head and moaning, "Make it STOP!! MOMMY, PLEA- Huh? It's no more! MOMMY, IT'S NO MORE!! I'M SAVED!!"

"Aw, Tails! We weren't that bad!" Amy said. "If we were that bad, you could've told us!"

"I was screaming the whole time!" he yelled. Sonic and Amy just looked at him weirdly.

"Okay, enough of this! We gotta find Rouge!" Knux interrupted.

"Where did you last see her?" Tails questioned, back to his old, technical self.

"We had just got out of the plane and separated to find the last Emerald pieces."

"Did you find them?"

"Yeah, but I found the pieces Rouge found in a big hole in the ground."

"Can you show me?" Tails asked. He got his answer as him and the couple followed Knux out the door.

They stopped at the hole and peered inside. By now, it wasn't thundering and lightening anymore.

"Wow, that's huge!" Amy shouted.

Sonic started to reply, "Not as big as my-"

"And I saw a flash of green light over here." Knux interrupted.

"Could it be that it was Chaos Control?" Tails asked.

"I wasn't close enough to tell, but it's possible." Knux guessed.

"Now how are we supposed to find her?" Sonic asked.

"I got it! You can run around and look on land, while the rest of us are on the Tornado. If you find something, you can use your walkie-talkie. It's directly connected to the Tornado." Tails said.

"Alright! I get to run again!" Sonic exclaimed.

"What about me?" Amy asked, saddened to hear that her "boo" was leaving her.

"We'll need you on the plane." Tails lied. "Anything to get them away from each other." he thought to himself.

Amy sighed. "Okay." she said to Tails. She turned to Sonic. "But you have to call me and write everyday!" She gave Sonic a hug.

"I'll never forget it." Sonic said before he took off.

"I miss him!" Amy wailed.

"We know! Just get on the plane!" Tails commanded.

"What about the heli?" Knux asked.

"We may need it, so you can drive it, if that's okay with you." Tails answered.

"It's okay, I don't mind. Let's go!" Tails and Amy ran towards the Tornado, while Knux went in the direction of the heli. They were off instantly.

---

Rouge woke in a bed with red satin sheets. The memories of last night's torture played with her brain. Her head still hurt and she had a pain in her side from the grip he had on her. She looked around. He was nowhere in sight. This was her chance. She quickly got up and walked around before hearing a cold voice behind her.

"So, my Dark Angel has arisen." he said, emerging from the shadows.

"What do you want from me?" she asked angrily.

"I told you what I wanted last night."  
"I don't care. You're not getting it." she spat at him.

"Oh, you say that now. Remember my name, you'll be screaming it later."

"Not on your life!"

"What about yours?"

"You would never kill me."

"And why do you guess that?"

"Because if you really loved me, you would never kill me. If you loved me that much, you would let me go and live my life. That's what a true friend would do." she explained.

He gave her a mysterious gaze. "But you see, I'm not your friend. I'm a lover, not a fighter, Dark Angel."

"I love Knuckles, and why do you keep calling me 'Dark Angel'?" she asked, annoyed by his words.

"If you really wanna know, it's because we were meant to be together." he answered.

"And how is that?"

"It's because of that." He pointed toward her pocket.

She took out the mysterious emerald, confused. "What does it have to do with what you're saying?" she asked.

"You and I are the only ones that can activate it."

"Well, in that case, I'm leaving." she stated, grasping the emerald in her hand.

"And how will you do that?"

"Just watch me." She looked at the emerald. It sat there in her hand with no glow or shine to it whatsoever. She closed her eyes, and before she could say anything, she felt a hand grab hers. Her eyes shot open.

"I ask you the same question." he said through clenched teeth. She honestly didn't know. She didn't have a reply. "Exactly. I'm the only one that has control, and right now I have control over you."

She backed away as he crept closer. She had to admit it, he was right. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get away from the power as long as he was controlling it. She hit a wall as he pressed his body against hers roughly. The emerald glowed slightly as this happened.

"You love me, Rouge. You and I know it." he said in a whisper. He looked into her fearful eyes with a stare that could kill.

Her heart refused the offer bitterly, but her mind was confused on the other hand. He did have a nice aggressiveness-wait, what was she thinking? She loved Knuckles. She couldn't throw that all away because Shadow felt the same way toward her. She loved Knuckles too much, or did she?

She could feel her heart beating wildly through her chest as he closed his eyes, leaning in for a kiss. She tried to push away, but it was no use. She was trapped between her mind and her heart. She saw the emerald's glow in her hand.

He had wanted this for so long. It was so strong, he didn't care what she thought. This was the closest he was getting, and he wasn't gonna throw it away. The emerald glowed brighter as it answered his mind's calling. He pried it out of Rouge's hand with his eyes still closed, getting closer.

Her mind slowly slipped away from all the control she had over herself. He was as close as he could ever be now. She could feel herself slowly slipping and falling.....

---


	8. Giving In

Chapter 8: Giving In

"SOOONIIIC!" Amy yelled through the speaker.

"WHAAAT?" he asked, now running through a green forest. He had been running for over three hours now, and nothing was found in that period. Amy's wailing every three seconds was starting to bother him.

"You never called! How could you?"

"I'm runnin' babe. How am I supposed to call ya?"

"But you promised!" she reminded him.

"I'm fine, Amy! Don't worry about me!" he pleaded.

"I can't help it!" she whined.

"I'll make it up to ya, okay? We can--"

By now, Tails had cut off the rest of the conversation by putting on his soundproof earplugs. He breathed a sigh of relief at the quiet that took over. He pressed a button, activating a wall that would separate him from the pink annoyance. He took out the earplugs and picked up his comm. Knux had been pretty quiet lately, so he wanted to see if he was alright.

"Tails to Knux, come in Knux." No reply came to the Tornado. "Hello, anybody there?" There was again no reply. He heard the heli behind him, so he put it down and assumed that Knux was sleeping. He took this extra free time to compose a speech that he would give to Sonic about his new "girlfriend."

"I, I love you, Rouge."

"I love you, Knuckles."

This exchange of words echoed through Knux's brain for a while now. That night had changed his life forever and he would never forget it. It gave him life. It gave him feelings he thought he never had. Right now was the first time he realized that he really loved Rouge. Saying it was hard, but feeling it was even harder. Now it was official: Knuckles was in full- blown love with Rouge.

His thoughts were interrupted by speakers blaring his name. He knew who it was and immediately rushed to the comm. "Knux to Tails: Did you just call me?"

Tails saw Amy engaged in some major conversation over the walkie- talkie before he heard Knux's voice over the loudspeaker. He walked up to the control panel and retrieved the speaker.

"Knux! You okay? I've been calling you for a while."

"Yeah, I was just thinking. You got anything yet?"

"Not yet..You sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It should be Amy that you're worrying about."

"She's really distracting Sonic. I should stop the madness now! Over and out!" He put the comm. down and headed towards the room that Amy was in.

"Oh yeah, that sounds great! Ooh, you're making me blush!" he heard her say before he took the walkie-talkie away. "Hey! What are you doing?" she asked angrily.

"Um, there's a few bugs I need to work out in this thing. I completely forgot!" Tails lied. "I'll tell Sonic! Here, you can have this one." He took out another walkie-talkie and gave it to her.

"Oh. Thanks, Tails!" Amy exclaimed. "Now where was I, baby? Oh yeah-"

The rest of the conversation was cut out by Tails' snickering all the way back to the control panel.

".and I was thinking we could do that. What do you think?"

The mysterious owner of the other walkie-talkie formed a questioning look on his face..

His lips brushed hers. He finally did it. Nothing else mattered now, not ever. He could feel his cheeks grow hot. He felt a little guilt as he barely kissed her. He pulled back and looked at his captor.

Rouge was incredibly confused right now. She knew she loved Knuckles, but she also felt like she loved Shadow, too. She had never thought that she would be in this situation. Her eyes halfway closed as he softly kissed her. She felt herself relax of any burden that bothered her at the moment. A song started to play in her head as he let go of her and stared into her eyes.

I don't know what's come over me

I don't know I don't know what's come over me I don't know what's come over me I don't know I don't know what's come over me

Because I never felt like this (I don't wanna be wrong 'cause I like it) Thinkin' about the way you kiss (I don't wanna be wrong but I like it) I think you stole my heart from me (See, I don't wanna be wrong 'cause I like it) But I belong to somebody (Even though it seems wrong I can't fight it)

It almost feels as if I'm not myself Under a spell from someone else I think I'm falling for somebody else And I can't control myself It's like some kind of hex on me Controlling who I love and how I speak And when he's gone my heart won't beat Tell me what's come over me

I don't know what's come over me

I don't know I don't know what's come over me I don't know what's come over me I don't know I don't know what's come over me

Because I never felt like this (I don't wanna be wrong 'cause I like it) Thinkin' about the way you kiss (I don't wanna be wrong but I like it) You got me thinkin' I should leave (See I don't wanna be wrong cause I like it) But I belong to somebody (Even though it seems wrong I can't fight it) I know that I already have a love He's all I know and all I trust But lately I've been fallin' out of love I find myself so deep in lust And ev'rytime he's here with me I look into his eyes so desperately But it's not his face I see Tell me what's come over me

I don't know what's come over me (over me, over me)

I don't know I don't know what's come over me (I, I don't know) I don't know what's come over me (over me, over me) I don't know I don't know what's come over me

I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know (I don't know, I just don't know) I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know (What's come over me...It's like...) I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know (Somethin' has taken complete control of me) I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know (And I can't function, I'm not me.)

I don't know what's come over me (I don't know me)

I don't know I don't know what's come over me (Na-na, na-na, na-na) I don't know what's come over me (What's come over me, over me) I don't know I don't know what's come over me ( I don't know, I don't know, I don't know.)

I don't know, I don't know, I don't know.

She felt the addiction wash over her. It wasn't natural, but she couldn't control it. She had to have him. All control was lost and it all depended on him to get it back.

He could tell that she was losing it. He had to catch her before she literally went insane from the loss of control. He locked her lips into a passionate kiss. It was everything that he asked for. All this time alone paid off with that moment.

She felt his tongue massage hers. She didn't want this, but the loss of control caused her to remain still. On the other hand, he was a good kisser. It almost made her forget everything. She closed her eyes, hoping that the moment would end, while another part of her wanted it to be nonstop.

He could sense her confusion running through her head. He smiled to himself, knowing what would happen after the confusion. "You'll be mine, all mine." he thought to himself. All other thoughts meant nothing to him now.  
Her head ached. She had no control over anything anymore and it was getting to her. Her legs felt like rubber and her arms remained limp at her sides. His kiss made her weak, causing her legs to give in. She felt an arm grab her from behind. She didn't care if it was him. She needed support and she needed it now. She gave him a small smile as he gently placed her on the bed.

He went back to where they were, picking up the dropped emerald. It glowed more with each step he took toward her.

She started to feel her energy coming back instantly. Her mind slowly came back, piece by piece. It felt different. She had control, but not complete control. Knuckles was forgotten and all she wanted right now was Shadow. It didn't feel right, but her mind had other opinions.

She gained the ability to sit up on her own. She spoke loosely; not realizing what came out of her mouth. "I, I love you, Shadow. I want you, I need you, I can't live without you."

He barely jumped at those words as he sat next to her. A smirk played with his lips. "I knew you would see things my way, Dark Angel."

She was grabbed by the waist, now inches from Shadow's lips. She liked the sudden force and it didn't scare her a bit. She now knew what she wanted.

"You're mine, all mine, Dark Angel. I've wanted to show you something for so long. It killed me to see you with that echidna. I never backed down. I found my love jewel, belonging to you and I. Forever, you're mine."

He softly kissed her, slowly picking up the intensity. The power of the jewel made his addiction to Rouge even more powerful than it already was. His emotions were in his hands while his heart beat next to hers. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

It felt good to give in to her secret desire. She lay still for a moment, not believing this was happening before her eyes. Then his tongue touched a special spot, which sparked her own to fill his mouth.

They both exchanged their feelings for a few minutes before Shadow broke the kiss. He just then realized how much he needed her body. His eyes trailed up and down her figure. Just looking at her made him go crazy. Many thoughts and images filled his mind at once.

She started getting used to the black and red figure next to her. He was all she could see right now. Everything else was just background-the darkness, the candlelight, the bed, and the sheets.

She looked at the white fur on his upper middle chest, matching the color of hers. She extended a hand and began to caress it.

This was his first time, so Shadow didn't know what to expect. His eyes widened at the sudden attention, but relaxed at her touch. Her fingers trailed to a sensitive spot and he purred with delight. Her fingers moved back and forth throughout the spot, which excited him even more.

Before she could move her hand again, his hand stopped her. It slowly pulled away the glove on her hand. He kissed it softly before sinking his fangs slightly into a finger.

She saw a little red emerge from her finger, but it didn't phase her. It instantly disappeared as her finger was slipped into his mouth. She giggled a little at this action.

He wasn't very fond of tasting blood on a serious tip. He just did whatever he could to take the pain away, if there was any. The taste took him to new heights as he released her finger. He licked his lips and continued.

His face explored between her top, ripping it off with his teeth. He replaced his teeth with his tongue, leaving none of her exposed fur dry. She tasted sweeter than he ever imagined.

She was pleased more and more with his movements. The giggling slowly turned into soft moaning as he toured the forbidden. It got louder and louder as he went to certain places.

The moaning gave him more opportunities to try new things. Soon enough, there was nothing covering her but the sheets and he. His hot body lay on top of hers.

The extra warmth caused her to break out in sweat and her beating heart to pump faster. She could feel his throbbing against her, and she slowly let him in.

The sudden change in position scared him, but he got used to the territory. He continued on his journey to keep her forever.

Her screaming penetrated the walls as he did the same to her. Their breaths were short, followed by a low moan from each of them.

Minutes passed and he remained in his spot. By then, Rouge was hanging by a string to stay awake.

He gave a smirk as he fell asleep, remaining in his spot. He dreamed the greatest dreams and lived through the best one.


	9. Taking Back

Chapter 9: Taking Back

Knux woke up in the bed inside the heli. He slowly turned to side, hoping to find Rouge there. Sadly, his wish didn't come true. He sighed and looked up at the ceiling. The shine and sparkle of the jewels hypnotized him. The glitter seemed to form her face.

He snapped out of his trance and sighed. He slowly got up, noticing a white glint beside him. He turned back to the bed, finding a few scattered pieces of the Angel Emerald.

His eyes grew wide. He hadn't mentioned it since last night and had completely forgotten about it. He sat back on the bed and put the pieces back together. It sat at his feet, eight inches high and a foot wide. It gleamed a creamy white color as it was revived to full form again.

He now knew what to do. He touched the emerald with his hand and closed his eyes. The words flowed and slowly came together as he spoke them.

"I call on the power of all angels, That have answered our sacred island's plea; Bring me back my precious, undying love Because I know that we are meant to be.

She will be needing me, as I need her Eventually, we will become one; I'll always go out of my way for her To bring her happiness and the bright sun.

Together we will survive day and night No matter what obstacles we go through We'll live a life together forever She and I know that this'll always be true.

Because of her, I know what love is My life would be nothing without that face; So answer my call, oh giving angels And take me to the destined place."

A white light consumed him as he began to teleport.

Rouge sat up the next morning, not remembering anything from last night. The only scene that played in her mind was when she was placed against the wall with Shadow growing closer.

Her eyes widened in shock. She looked down to see that she had her clothes on. She breathed a sigh of relief. Her eyes spotted a black figure weighing her down. She pushed him off, knocking him against the headboard.

"What the hell are you doing!" she yelled.

He instantly awoke, shaking off the temporary pain. "You weren't complaining last night." he replied.

She backed away from him as a grin formed on his lips. She was afraid to ask. If she didn't remember, then why did it matter? She may be better off not knowing. Her curiosity got the best of her and she asked anyway. "What are you talking about?"

"I told you, you would be mine no matter what it takes."

His words sent all of last night through her mind. She saw herself and Shadow. What? It didn't make sense. She looked at the jewel next to her. She took it and threw it against the nearest wall as she stood up. "You manipulated me!" she spat angrily.

He gave her a smirk. "I only helped to get what you wanted. I can't fully control you. It takes two to connect as one."

She grew angrier as he said those words. "It was that damn emerald, and you know it!"

"You found it, not me." He managed to keep his cool as she did the opposite.

"You made me find it!" His voice grew louder as his words grew stronger. He approached her with a menacing glare. "You're not supposed to find jewels you don't know about. You didn't tell Knuckles and you continued to find it! YOU didn't know what was going to happen and YOU were the one who brought this on yourself!" he yelled.

She felt her mind slowly breaking from the words. She shook her head vigorously. "No." she managed to say.

He slowly backed her into a wall, his eyes burning a hole through her. "It's YOUR fault!"

"No." she repeated. She covered her ears to tune out his voice.

"Everything happened because of YOU!"

She screamed as she hit the wall and fell to her knees. The gained control over her emotions started to diminish. Her head hung low and her eyes blurred as she stared at the dark floor. She held herself to keep from shaking. The realization killed her. She spoke no words as tears fell from her eyes and splashed to the ground.

Why did she do it? How was she supposed to know that finding that gem would cause her so trouble? She knew one thing: She loved Knuckles, but Shadow's mark would remain forever. It sickened her. How would Knux take it? He probably wouldn't want anything to do with her. She brought this all on herself. The tears still fell, but no sound escaped her lips. She was too sad and angry to do anything but cry.

Shadow felt the guilt of last night wash on him. He had a decision to make. He could let her live in her own misery or make her forget forever. He got on one knee beside her.

"I'm sorry, Rouge. It's not your fault, it's mine. I want to make it all up to you. I want you to think about something. Would you be willing to live with the pain for the rest of your life or would you want to forget and start over? I could send you back to Knuckles without remembering what I did. It's your choice."

She looked up at him. She was too weak to yell and she wanted Knuckles no matter what. "Did you just say that you could make me forget?" she asked.

"And send you back, yes. I can't stand to see you like this. I'm gonna have to live with this for the rest of my life, but I don't want you to do the same. I can make you forget, Rouge. Just consider it."

She shook a little at his words. "I don't know.I can't trust you, Shadow."

He gently took her hand. "I want you to be happy, Rouge. I promise from the bottom of my heart." Before she could say anything, a familiar voice rang through the shadows.

"If you had a heart."

A white light took over the darkness, blinding Rouge and Shadow. From this white light, Knuckles appeared.

Shadow slowly stood. "It's you." he spat angrily.

"I should be saying the same thing. What are you doing here with Rouge?" he asked strongly.

"Just taking what's rightfully mine, thank you very much."

"You better take that back."

"And what if I don't?"

"I'll do something that you'll regret."

"You already did! You took my dark angel!"

"Guess you're not as fast as I thought."

"It's already done. You can't take back last night."

"What are you talking about?"

"That's none of your business."

"It is if Rouge is involved!"

"If you really wanna know, she's mine and there's nothing you can do about it!"

Knux laughed. "I'm here, aren't I? When I find out what you did to her, you won't be here for too long! You must be crazy if you think I'm going to let you keep her."

"I am because I won't let you get to her."

"How do you think you're gonna pull that off? I could take you out in one hit!"

"Not if she was taking the hits for me."

"What?" Knux asked confused.

"I'll show you." Shadow extended his right hand, summoning the emerald to his palm. It started to glow furiously.

Rouge knew that glow too well. It tortured and manipulated her. Who knows what it will do to her now? "No." she whispered repeatedly as the glow took over her body. This time, it came on her full force.

"No you won't!" Knux yelled as he ran full force to Shadow, ready to give him the biggest stars he would ever see.

Shadow turned to Knux and held the emerald in front of his body, creating a dark force field around him. It caused Knux to run into it, bouncing off it and slamming into a wall.

She rose to her feet, encased in the glow. She could feel the foreign control wash over her again. Her wings extended, revealing bigger and darker ones. Her eyes changed from an aqua blue to a dark purple. Black gloves covered her bare hands. Her pink top transformed into purple and her white boots went from gray to black in an instant.

Knux watched in shock as Rouge transformed into a completely different person. "No, it can't be, can it?" he thought to himself. He looked to Shadow, who flashed a grin at him. "Wait, this isn't possible! Unless you- You didn't!" he said through clenched teeth.

"I did it and I'll do it again if I have to! I told you, she's mine forever!"

"No." Knux whispered. He knew this all too well. Once she gained full power, she would never go back.

Shadow laughed at this pathetic sight while turning back to Rouge. "Come to me, Dark Angel. She him your REAL power!" he commanded.

She turned to Knux on command. She stared at him with menacing eyes.

He couldn't see her anymore. The usual glint in her eyes disappeared. The vibe he usually felt from her was no more. He didn't know who or what was standing (or floating) before him.

"So.we meet again, Dark Angel." he said in a serious tone.

"Oh, so you've met before?" Shadow asked with interest in his words.

"You stay out of this! This is between her and me!" Knux revealed the Angel Emerald and in a split second, he disappeared behind a circle of white light. He emerged in an off-white ensemble: a tank top, pants, shoes, headband and rubber bands to match. The top of his chest still bore the white crescent, but then it slowly took the shape of angel wings. Two white wings covered his back, leaving two slits in his shirt. His locks appeared longer than usual. He looked at Rouge with a face so innocent that it was sickening at the same time. He voice took on a smoothness that he never heard before.

"Rouge, don't listen to him. He wants you for other purposes."

Shadow briefly stared at him in shock, then turned back to Rouge. "He's the one who's using you! Eliminate him!" he yelled to her.

She turned to Shadow, then back to Knux. No wonder he looked so familiar. They had met thousands of years ago on this day. They had battled, but they both cancelled each other out. The impact caused both emeralds to break and disappear.

It all came back to him now as he faced her. Both emeralds were created at the same time with almost equal powers and properties. When held and summoned by the destined person, they were known as the Guardian and Dark Angels.

They stared at each other with powerful eyes. Rouge glared at Knux with an intensity that could kill. "Looks like I have some unfinished business to take care of." she said while lifting her arms. She was about to summon her dark powers when his voice stopped her.

"Don't do this, Rouge. Our powers will cancel out, leaving us back to where we started."

She sighed and smiled. "Okay, just sit still. This won't hurt a bit!" She shot a black wave towards him.

Black circles surrounded him, ready to kill. A white shield was made, making the circles bounce off thin air. "I won't let you do this. Control yourself Rouge. I know you have it, just listen to me."

She took her first real look at him. He was beautiful. Her purple eyes sparked blue as she looked at him. The control was still heavy on her mind. "Knux, I-" Before she could continue, she saw a dark power extend from her hands toward him. "No!" she screamed as it hit him full force.

His power no longer protected him. He hit a wall and the breath was knocked out of him. He winced at the pain in his back.

Rouge snapped out of control and rushed to him. The impact broke his wings, sending fresh blood down his back. She gasped at his weak condition.

He could feel warmth down his back as he felt the pain. He opened his eyes to see a crushed Rouge in front of him. He gave a weak smile. "I did the best I could to keep you. You were always so competitive and that's what I loved about you. Looks like you won, Rouge." He paused as he felt his life force draining from him.

She gasped. "No Knuckles, you win. You've won my heart. You can't go."

"No, this is your chance to have Shadow. I'm sure you two would be better without me."

"What? That's not possible!" she argued. "I don't love him. He used me. You said so yourself."

He took a deep breath and coughed. "Have I ever told you that I would do anything to make you happy?" She nodded. "Live your life without me."

"I can't! I'm the one who did this to you! I can't live with myself anymore. Don't go, Knuckles."

"I don't think I have a choice. I give you control of the Angel Emerald and all the other gems as well. Live and be happy, Rouge.I love you--" A sharp pain went through his back, and he was out cold.

She felt for a heartbeat, and she felt nothing. She choked back tears as she stood up. She faced Shadow with a look that could kill.

"I can't believe you! You went through all this to break me and have me the way you wanted and at the end, you still have nothing. I have nothing now! Is that what you wanted?"

"Forget about it Rouge.You won't regret it." he said, moving closer.

"I'll never forget! You never made me and you never will! I'll never love you!" she yelled. Dark power flowed from her hands at command and pinned him to the wall. She turned away from him and rushed back to Knuckles.

She fell on her knees and cried. She laid a hand on the Emerald accidentally. Her tears fell on his bleeding wings, reviving them as they touched his blood. A white light covered the both of them.

She felt a light breeze and a floating feeling as she cried. She opened her eyes to see a pair of wings fanning her. Knuckles' hand clutched hers. She was speechless as she made another transformation.

The light grew brighter as they joined forces. Her eyes brightened into a misty blue and she wore an off-white dress. He smiled and hugged her. "Didn't think I'd leave you that easy, huh?"

She felt weightless as she remained in his arms. The only control she had was her own, and something more powerful and priceless took over.


	10. Beginning of the End?

Chapter 10: The End of the Beginning (I guess.)

The power slowly faded as they got back to the island. Knux's wings disappeared as he landed in the grass. He turned to Rouge, who landed safely also.

"Whoa! What a ride, huh?" he said. He got his answer when he felt her hand go limp and caught her as she fainted. He carried her to the heli, which appeared instantly (A/N: Don't ask, it's an author screw-up thing.). He laid her on the bed, kissed her forehead, and went back out.

Rouge was trapped in the same darkness. She knew that she was capable of waking up, but she was too weak to try. She was strong enough to start running. She saw a door and began to approach it, but it seemed like the more she ran, the more distant it became.

"Going somewhere?"

She heard the voice behind her. She didn't have to stop and turn around to see who it was. She ran faster, but it seemed like she was going nowhere. Her body grew tired and she stopped.

"I gave you a chance to forget and you throw it back at me for him!"

She turned and faced him. "What are you doing here? I finally get away from you and now you're back to torture me?"

"Not yet. I'm giving you another chance to consider my offer."

"And why should I do that?" she asked bitterly.

"Everything that I've done to you will be no more. Don't you want that?" he asked with the same tone.

"Why should I trust you?"

"Why shouldn't you? I'm practically a part of you now."

"You're not a part of me and you will never be! Find someone else to torture!" she yelled.

"I won't have to torture you anymore if you'd just say yes."

She hesitated. She knew this was a dream, but she still couldn't trust him. Then again, if he really told the truth, she could live without the guilt.

He saw her in deep thought. He put a hand on her shoulder. "You know you want to." He held the emerald close to her face.

The glow reminded her of all the pain she went through. The guilt, the loss of control, the power.

"I won't hurt you.this time." he cackled.

She felt the emerald blind her, taking her into the worst of nightmares.

Knux sat on the edge of the island, which was considerably higher because of the restored emerald's power. The island did feel more peaceful than usual, but many thoughts about the past day troubled his mind.

He had no idea that she was the Dark Angel. He knew that if Shadow wasn't in the picture that it would still be a mystery to him. He slowly started to remember the stories his ancestors told him. One part seemed to stick in his head.

"Let her give in to the true power of darkness. Control and keep her and she'll be yours forever."

That part scared him. He assumed that Shadow did that, but why didn't he keep her? Did it have something to do with his power? He was incredibly confused. He continued thinking as the sky went from a soft orange to a dark blue.

She tossed and turned as the nightmare took over her mind. She awoke with images from the previous night before her eyes. The darkness of the bedroom scared her terribly, so she left the heli.

A cool breeze played with her normal-sized wings as she wandered through the island. She spotted the waterfall and walked toward it. She sat on the rock closest to the edge. The sound of the water started calming her.

As he continued to sort things out, he started to worry about Rouge. He decided to check on her.

When he didn't find her in the heli, he grew worried. Losing her again would break him. As he neared the waterfall, he heard a small sound. He got closer, finding Rouge with her face in her hands. He sat down beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong, Rouge?" he asked calmly.

She looked at him with the most troubling eyes he had ever seen. "Don't you realize what I did to you? I cheated on you and killed you. Why do you still bother?" she asked while sobbing.

"But you saved me too." he added. "Do you think I would be here if you hadn't cared about me so much?"

Tears stung her eyes as she turned away. "I can't control it, Knuckles. He's in my head. I can't get him out."

He gently pulled her towards him. "Control has nothing to do with it. It's full-blown love, Rouge."

She looked confused. "How can that be?" she asked.

"I don't see you running back to Shadow."

She sighed. "I'd never do that. I kept telling him that I loved you, but he ignored it. He made me do something I didn't wanna do-"

"And once I find him again, I'll kill 'im." he thought. "That was all in your head. What do you feel in your heart, Rouge?" he asked her.

She tried to speak, but nothing came out. She cursed herself silently for not being able to answer.

He smiled as he saw her struggling to speak. "It's okay. You don't have to tell me now. I have something to tell you first." He slowly stood up and situated himself. He looked up at the night sky. He didn't know where to start. He took a deep breath and looked back at her.

"Ever since you disappeared, I've been doing a lot of thinking, but it didn't help. All I know is I don't care what you did, what powers you possess or anything like that. You may be the Dark Angel, but you're my angel."

She stared at him with loving eyes. "It's great to be back." She stood up and hugged him. Her tears slowly dried as she played with his locks. "I missed you."

He stood there with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. He said nothing as she gave him a questioning look.

"What?" she asked.

He pouted and looked down at the grass, using a foot to manipulate it. "You never said I was your angel."

She laughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I thought you already knew."

"I want proof," he said with the same look on his face.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and let out a fake sigh. "You just gotta have all the details, huh?" she asked. He nodded in reply.

She sighed again. "Well, what does this tell you?" she asked before she brushed her lips against his. Soon enough, her tongue slipped past his lips. She let go after a few minutes.

The kiss left his mind a little hazy, but he eventually gained the ability to speak. "Hmm, I don't know, but what I know is this." He then copied her move, but made the kiss even deeper.

Her mind relaxed of everything as she felt her heartbeat through her chest. His arms slipped down to her lower back. He massaged it lightly as he kissed her.

She still saw fireworks as he let go. She grew slightly starry-eyed as she said, "Let's just that I'm flying without my wings to help."

He smiled. "Glad you see things my way." he said as he took her hands in his. They hung parallel to the ground as he said softly, "No control, no pressure."

"Not possible. I have control now." she said while crossing her arms.

His hands went to her sides, tickling her. She laughed as she fell to the ground, taking him with her. He lay on top of her with a sexy grin on his face. "What control?" he asked with his hands gripping her sides firmly.

"This control." she replied as she tugged his locks. Her grip on them weakened his grip on her sides. She pushed him to the side and dominated him. "Who's desperate now?" she asked, staring into his amethyst eyes. He did the same to her aqua blue orbs, saying nothing in reply.

They both smiled and answered, "We are." before locking lips again.

THE END!

Note: All script was harmed in the making and editing of this fic.


End file.
